Environmental News Highlights – May 15, 2024

FEDERAL ACTION

The National Zero-Emission Freight Corridor Strategy and Plans to Decarbonize Transportation in the US -Logistics Viewpoints

White House uses Infrastructure Week to tout progress on thousands of projects -The Hill

FHWA chief praises Port of Savannah projects to reduce truck pollution -Savannah Morning News

US Republican attorneys general sue to stop EPA’s carbon rule –Reuters

Bike Brands Start To Adopt C-V2X To Warn Cyclists About Cars -Ars Technica

Executive Director of Joint Office of Energy and Transportation Looks for Ideas to Expand E-Mobility -National League of Cities (commentary)

INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY

Caltrans Launches Digital Map Highlighting More than 300 Clean California Projects -California DOT

Kansas City wants big federal money for sustainability projects, but it faces tough competition -KCUR Radio

Ohio seeks $189 million in EPA funds to electrify state fleets, retrofit public buildings -Ohio Capital Journal

Even Stock Exhausts Aren’t Safe from NYC Noise Camera Tickets -Road and Track

How Green Transit Technologies Can Shape The Future Of Public Transportation –Forbes

 

AIR QUALITY

Residents Across Five States Monitor Local Air Quality -The Appalachian Voice

EPA reminds New Englanders to use free air quality monitoring tools this summer -EPA (media release)

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE/EQUITY

New York City Ordered to Fix Broken Pledge to Make Half of Taxis Wheelchair-Accessible -The City

CULTURAL RESOURCES

The Father of the 15-Minute City Doubles Down on His Vision –CityLab

VDOT’s living shorelines project at this Boy Scout camp is a conservation success story -Scouting Magazine

You Might Need Your Teen To Translate These Hawaii DOT Highway Signs. (And That’s The Point) -KHNL/KGMB-TV

Sustainability in action at Laurelwood Park -Sound Transit (media release)

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

City of Belfast, Maine DOT partner to enhance Active Transportation infrastructure -Penobscot Bay Pilot

Chautauqua County, NY to hold Active Transportation Week –Observer

Cyclist safety enhancements coming to Miami-Dade’s most dangerous roadways -WTVJ-TV

Iowa closes “resounding gaps” in state law on crosswalks -Bleeding Heartland

New York City DOT Announces Plan for Secure Bike Parking Network -BoroPark24

Laredo, TX discusses bicycle safety and active transportation -Laredo Morning Times


2025 Transportation Alternatives (TA) Program Funding Available through SDDOT -South Dakota Department of Transportation (media release)

TRB RESOURCES/RESEARCH/ANNOUNCEMENTS

Elevating Community Voices and Environmental Justice in the Transition to Net Zero -National Academies

Addressing Climate Resilience and Greenhouse Gases in the Transportation Planning Process –NCHRP

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES

Call for Nominations for the Scientific Earthquake Studies Advisory Committee -U.S. Geological Survey (Call for nominations)

Ensuring Safe Accommodations for Air Travelers With Disabilities Using Wheelchairs -Office of the Secretary of Transportation (Proposed rule; extension of comment period)

Comment Period, Notice of Public Meeting, and Request for Comment on the Draft Programmatic Environmental Assessment for Drone Package Delivery in North Carolina -FAA (Notice of availability; notice of public meeting; request for comments)

Good Neighbor Environmental Board -EPA (Notice of meeting)

Environmental News Highlights – May 8, 2024

FEDERAL ACTION

AASHTO President Craig Thompson: ‘Togetherness’ Key to Success -AASHTO Journal



FHWA Issues $148M in Grants to Reduce Port Air Pollution -AASHTO Journal



USDOT Seeks AI Solutions For Transit Infrastructure -Nextgov/FCW



Hearing: A Review of Fleet Electrification Efforts -House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure



Biden administration details how producers of sustainable aviation fuel will get tax credits –AP

 

INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY

MoDOT ending Adopt-A-Highway program, citing costs, safety concerns -Spectrum News



MoDOT leader calls for changes from trash haulers after seeing debris spill onto highways -KMBC-TV



Navajo government asks Biden to stop uranium transport across the Navajo Nation –Fronteras



Groundbreaking on Electric Charge Highway -WLFI-TV (link to video)

 

AIR QUALITY

Colorado governor, Democrats reach long-term air quality and transit deal with oil and gas industry, environmentalists -Colorado Sun



Port of Oakland opens world’s 1st commercial, zero emission truck stop -KTVU-TV (video)



The 15 cities in the US with the worst air quality, ranked -Business Insider

 

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE/EQUITY

In New Orleans’ bike culture, Black cyclists find ‘therapy,’ community –NOLA

 

NATURAL RESOURCES

Florida asks feds to let more than 1,000 permits slide after judge rules process illegal -News-Press



Preparation And Communication Are Critical Ahead Of Violent Weather -Commercial Carrier Journal



As the climate changes, cities scramble to find trees that will survive –Grist

 

CULTURAL RESOURCES

Graffiti-battling drones take flight in WSDOT highway cleanup program -KOMO-TV



World Cup, Olympics, Climate Change Drive California Infrastructure Efforts -ENR California



San Clemente Surfers Fight $100 Million Railroad Renovation Project –Surfer



USDOT’s Build American Bureau approves first TOD TIFIA loan for Mt. Vernon Library Commons Project -Mass Transit

 

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

Michigan DOT Podcast Touches on Benefits of Trails -AASHTO Journal



Washington bike safety program goes statewide -Seattle Times



E-bikes are a ‘game changer’ for bike shares -Route Fifty



Historic Cedar Hill Bridge reopens for pedestrians -Tri-City Record



Pedestrian, Cyclist Trail To Connect Chickamauga And The National Military Park in Tennessee -The Pulse



Almost a decade in the making, new bicycle hub aims to close Utah transportation gaps –KSL.com

 

TRB RESOURCES/RESEARCH/ANNOUNCEMENTS

Practices for Statewide and MPO Coordination – NCHRP



On-Demand Aviation Services for Mobility, Logistics, Emergency Response, and Humanitarian Use Cases -ACRP (event summary)



The Future of Ferry Electrification in Rural Areas -TRB (webinar)

 

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES

Opportunities and Challenges of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Transportation; Request for InformationUSDOT (Notice)



National Environmental Policy Act Implementing Regulations Revisions Phase 2 -Council on Environmental Quality (Final rule)



Clean Energy for New Federal Buildings and Major Renovations of Federal Buildings -Federal Energy Management Program, DOE (Final rule)



Coordination of Federal Authorizations for Electric Transmission Facilities -Grid Deployment Office, DOE (Final rule)



Proposals by Non-Federal Interests for Inclusion in the Annual Report to Congress on Future Water Resources Development -U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Notice)



Water Quality Standards Regulatory Revisions To Protect Tribal Reserved Rights -EPA (Final rule)



Great Redwood Trail Agency – Adverse Abandonment – Mendocino Railway in Mendocino County, Cal. -Surface Transportation Board (Notice of application)

 

Environmental News Highlights – May 1, 2024

FEDERAL ACTION

How Abrupt U-Turns Are Defining U.S. Environmental Regulations -New York Times

President Advances Plan to Make Freight Shipping Carbon-Free -Transport Topics

What’s New in the 11th Edition of the MUTCD with Kathy Falk, Vice President, Kimley-Horn -ITE Talks Transportation (podcast)

BTS Updates National Transportation Statistics -Bureau of Transportation Statistics (media release)

INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY

Omaha airport takes significant damage from EF-2 tornado -Fox Weather

Amtrak can take control of Washington Union Station, federal judge rules -WTTG-TV

How the Baltimore bridge collapse upended a D.C. coffee chain’s business -Washington Post

NJ Transit releases first sustainability plan -Mass Transit

Smart streetscape to pilot mobility program in Buffalo -Public Square

Administration’s Investing in America Agenda Supports Flood Reduction Infrastructure Project in Historic Savannah Community -FEMA (media release)

AIR QUALITY

Planning for climate change, Delaware State Senate passed new legislation -WRDE-TV

Vehicle platooning in TN designed to increase road safety, decrease pollution -WKRN-TV

Are the Great Lakes the key to solving America’s emissions conundrum? -National Geographic

FAA Finalizes Rule to Reduce Carbon Particle Emissions from Aircraft Engines -FAA (media release)

FHWA Announces Nearly $150 Million in Grants to Help Reduce Truck Air Pollution Near America’s Ports -FHWA (media release)


ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE/EQUITY

Buttigieg and Black mayors preview transportation projects designed to heal historic inequities –CNN

MassDEP Investing in Air Quality Sensors in Environmental Justice Communities -iBerkshires.com

In a push for more housing density near transit lines, highway dollars have become a political football -Colorado Public Radio

CDTA to bring mobility hubs to Albany, Troy -WTEN-TV

Understanding Environmental Justice In Rural Communities -Forbes (opinion)


NATURAL RESOURCES

MnDOT seeks more volunteers to keep roads clean -KARE-TV

The Minnesota Mayor Making Space for Monarch Butterflies –CityLab


CULTURAL RESOURCES

Amtrak expansion grabs interest from tourism organizations in South Dakota -KSFY-TV

Can You Compost That? A Cheat Sheet on What Goes in the Bin -Bloomberg Green

Maryland DOT State Highway Administration Wins Preservation Award Railroad Report -Maryland Department of Planning (media release)


HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

Lessons on how (and how not) to build a bike-friendly city -Corporate Knights

Unsanctioned signs installed along San Francisco’s Wiggle bike route –SFGATE

Minnesota’s Metro Transit Steps Up Safety Efforts With Monitors Displaying Bus Behavior For All To See -Star Tribune

TRB RESOURCES/RESEARCH/ANNOUNCEMENTS

The Future of Ferry Electrification in Rural Areas -TRB (webinar)

Navigating public transport during a pandemic: Key lessons on travel behavior and social equity from two surveys in Tehran –ScienceDirect


FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES

Revitalizing Our Nation’s Commitment to Environmental Justice for All -The President (Executive Order)

Active Transportation Infrastructure Investment Program -FHWA (Notice)

California State Nonroad Engine Pollution Control Standards; In-Use Diesel-Fueled Transport Refrigeration Units (TRU) and TRU Generator Sets and In-Use Off-Road Diesel Fueled Fleets; Requests for Authorization; Opportunity for Public Hearing and Comment -EPA (Notice)

Notice of Availability of Programmatic Assessment of Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Transit Projects -FTA (Notice)

Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the GreenThumb Gardens Water Supply Project, New York, NY for Bronx, Kings, New York, Queens, and Richmond Counties -Natural Resources Conservation Service (Notice)

Anchorage Regulations; Los Angeles and Long Beach Harbors, California -Coast Guard (Notice of proposed rulemaking)

Adoption of a Department of the Air Force Categorical Exclusion Under the National Environmental Policy Act -NASA (Notice)

Kootenai National Forest; Montana; Kootenai National Forest Over-Snow Motorized Use Travel PlanForest Service (Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement)


Notice of Determinations on the Demand Response and Electric Vehicle Standards -Tennessee Valley Authority (Notice of determinations on the PURPA Standards set forth in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021)


Environmental News Highlights – April 24, 2024

FEDERAL ACTION

USDOT Issues $23M in Thriving Communities Funds -AASHTO’s Center for Environmental Excellence

US Infrastructure Is Broken. Here’s an $830 Million Plan to Fix It –Wired



FAA Weather Stations In Rural Alaska Are Consistently Not Reporting Data, Legislature Wants Congress To Address Issue -KMXT Radio

EPA & the Army Corps of Engineers have less ability to protect wetlands than they’ve had in 40 years but Florida still isn’t satisfied -JD Supra (opinion)



EPA Issues Emergency Fuel Waiver for E-15 Sales -EPA (media release)

 

INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY

How Amazon Became the Largest Private EV Charging Operator in the US -Bloomberg Green

Google Maps Will Use AI To Help You Find Out-Of-The-Way EV Chargers -The Verge

Houston Metro finding shift to electric or hydrogen buses an uphill effort -Houston Chronicle

A new chapter for transport decarbonization awaits –GreenBiz


EPA New England issues three air permits for offshore wind farm projects -EPA (media release)

 

AIR QUALITY

EPA Reveals Slight Increase in Greenhouse Gas Emissions -Environmental Protection

 

NATURAL RESOURCES

Weather Sensors Will Aid Autonomous Trucks in Fort Worth -Transport Topics

Second ‘bathtub’ grant won’t fix Parkway East flooding before 2026 -Pittsburgh Union Progress

 

CULTURAL RESOURCES

WisDOT announces two new additions to Rustic Roads Program -Daily Jefferson County Union

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

New $4.5 million East Bay trail path will connect bicyclists, pedestrians to BART -East Bay Times

 

TRB RESOURCES/RESEARCH/ANNOUNCEMENTS

Subgrade Soil Susceptibility to Shrink/Swell and Frost Heave: Effects on Pavement Performance –NCHRP

Tactile Wayfinding in Transportation Settings for Travelers Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired –TCRP

Aggregate Sustainability—Production -TRB (webinar)

Strategies to Respectfully Address Homelessness at Airports -ACRP (webinar)

 

FEDERAL REGISTER

Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards for Heavy-Duty Vehicles—Phase 3 -EPA (Final rule)

National Environmental Justice Advisory Council; Notification of Public Meeting -EPA (Notification for a public meeting)

Withdrawal of the Notice of Intent To Prepare a Joint Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report for the Dredged Material Management Plan Feasibility Study, Los Angeles County, CAArmy Corps of Engineers (Notice of intent; withdrawal)

Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail Advisory Council -Forest Service (Notice of meeting)

 

Environmental News Highlights – April 17, 2024

FEDERAL ACTION

FHWA Issues $830M in PROTECT Resiliency Grants -AASHTO Journal

Court upholds California’s authority to set nation-leading vehicle emission rules –AP

Senate rebukes Biden administration on effort to reduce vehicle pollution -Route Fifty

 

SOLAR ECLIPSE

See Maps of Where Eclipse Seekers Flocked and the Traffic That Followed -New York Times

These US Cities Benefited Most From Solar Eclipse Tourism –CityLab

Traffic gets eclipsed in Texas -Texas Department of Transportation (media release)

Thousands Travel to NH to View the Solar Eclipse -New Hampshire Department of Transportation (media release)

 

COVID-19

APTA: Transit-ridership levels continue post-pandemic recovery -Progressive Railroading

 

RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY

Colorado pumps $21 million into fast-charger expansion for electric vehicles -Powers Journal

This Florida highway will wirelessly charge electric cars on the go -Tampa Bay Times

Port of Albany awarded $9.9M in funding for rail and maritime infrastructure improvements from NYS DOT -American Journal of Transportation

This lamppost EV charger just went commercial in the US –Electrek

Biden urged to ban China-made electric vehicles -BBC News

 

AIR QUALITY

California’s Clean Air Act Exemption Targeted in Lawsuits Challenging Truck GHG Rules -HDT/Truckinginfo

 

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE/EQUITY

Civil engineering researcher looks to remedy inequities in traffic safety -University of Arizona

Extra Step Added For Transit-Oriented Housing -New Haven Independent

Biden’s environmental justice scorecard offers more questions than answers –Grist

 

NATURAL RESOURCES

Boy Scouts Join Tennessee DOT Litter Cleanup Campaign -AASHTO Journal

Resilience to Natural Hazards and Historic Buildings -National Park Service

Urban planning should consider building height, shape, and arrangement to best protect pedestrians during severe precipitation and wind -Physics of Fluids



WYDOT Widens Access to Road-Closure Data to Save Lives in Severe Weather -Wyoming DOT (media release)

 

CULTURAL RESOURCES

An Ode to the Northeast Corridor, the Rail Line That Keeps Amtrak Alive –CityLab

Jersey Shore hangout spot for 4×4 beach vehicles could disappear without more sand -NJ.com

UTA plans to expand, redesign transit by possible 2034 Olympics -KSTU-TV

 

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

WVDOT Helps Develop Unique ‘Rail Bike’ Offering -AASHTO Journal

Houston’s New Mayor Pumps the Brakes on Street Safety Projects –Governing

Metra sees surge in bikes on trains following change in policy –Trains

How climate change is beginning to be built into employee pay and benefits –CNBC

Minnesota touts e-bike rebates worth up to 75% off cost of new purchase -WCCO-TV

 

TRB RESOURCES/RESEARCH/ANNOUNCEMENTS

Transformational Technologies and Mobility Inclusion Playbook –NCHRP

Airport Lessons Learned from the COVID-19 Pandemic -TRB (webinar)

 

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES

National Public Transportation Safety Plan -FTA (Notice of availability and response to comments)

Public Transportation Agency Safety Plans -FTA (Final rule)

Advisory Committee on Transportation Equity (ACTE); Notice of Public Meeting -Office of the Secretary, Department of Transportation (Notice of public meeting)

Pipeline Safety: Meeting of the Gas Pipeline Advisory Committee -Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (Notice; extension of comment period)

Renewal Package From the State of Arizona to the Surface Transportation Project Delivery Program and Proposed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Assigning Federal Highway Administration’s Environmental Review Responsibilities to the State -FHWA (Notice, request for comments)

Renewal Package From the State of California to the Surface Transportation Project Delivery Program and Proposed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Assigning Environmental Responsibilities to the State -FRA (Notice, request for comments)

Notice of Adoption of a Fish and Wildlife Service Categorical Exclusion Under the National Environmental Policy Act -EPA (Notice)

 

Environmental News Highlights – April 10, 2024

FEDERAL ACTION

AASHTO Issues New ‘Commuting in America’ Reports -AASHTO Journal



AASHTO Seeks ‘Balanced’ EV Charging Network Effort -AASHTO Journal

AASHTO Comments on Low Carbon Construction Material Rules -AASHTO Journal

States seek Supreme Court intervention on smog plan split -E&E News

Key takeaways about the condition of US bridges and their role in the economy –AP

Buttigieg rejects critics of EV future: Like people in 2000s saying we could have landlines forever -Fox News’ America Reports

Interactive Playbook Helps Communities Plan for Transportation Electrification -Joint Office of Energy and Transportation (media release)

 

SOLAR ECLIPSE

Shadows in Motion: Emergency Management Post a Solar Eclipse with Illinois DOT –The Stream by AASHTO (podcast)

Traffic delays and other issues mark total solar eclipse day -USA Today

Eclipse flights swarm airports: ‘We had to close the runway to park planes –CNBC

INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY

Maine seeks to curb ‘range anxiety’ with new EV charging stations -Spectrum News

Cargo ships are getting bigger, but can our infrastructure keep up? -WWL Radio

A collapsed bridge, a new Amtrak tunnel, the Red Line: Baltimore is an infrastructure epicenter -Baltimore Banner

Unused “T” lines could be revived during massive improvement project -KDKA-TV

Few Stations and $200 to Fill Up: Life on California’s ‘Hydrogen Highway –CityLab

PennDOT Announces $20 Million in Funding for Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure -Pennsylvania DOT (media release)

 

AIR QUALITY

Ship Speed Reduction Lowers California Coastal Air Pollution -Maritime Executive

Emissions model for aviation fuel will be ready ‘in the very near future’, says EPA administrator –Reuters

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE/EQUITY

Atlantans call for equity and access in transit and mobilityWABE Radio

How NJ school uses virtual reality to help kids with autism prepare for airport stress -The Record

People with disabilities must be included in climate planning and responses, say Harvard researchers -Harvard Law Review



USDOT Announces Latest Step Toward Launching New Reconnecting Communities Institute -USDOT (media release)

US EPA and New York State DEC Launch Statewide Environmental Justice Listening Tour -EPA (media release)

 

NATURAL RESOURCES

State DOT Landscape Projects Transforming Infrastructure -AASHTO Journal

 

WYDOT Video Highlights Value of Roadway Snow Fencing -AASHTO Journal

Adapting stormwater management to extreme weather requires innovation, professor says -Ohio State University

CULTURAL RESOURCES

New York governor orders transit agency to drop bid to charge NYC Marathon $750K for use of Verrazzano bridge –AP



Japanese Businesses Fight to Stay as Metro Stop Transforms LA’s Little Tokyo –CityLab

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

Connecticut to launch 13 microtransit services within four-month period -Mass Transit

Silence the Roar: Noise Pollution in Aviation –Airways

E-bikes are Transforming Urban Mobility and Cities Need to get Onboard: Study –Momentum

Safety concerns prompt Tampa to enact new e-scooter rules, including fines -WUSF Radio

Greensburg, PA seeking public feedback on city walking, cycling for Active Transportation Plan -Tribune-Review

2022 was the ‘worst year ever for bicyclist deaths,’ new data shows -Route Fifty

TRB RESOURCES/RESEARCH/ANNOUNCEMENTS

Airport Lessons Learned from the COVID-19 Pandemic -ACRP (webinar)

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES

Air Plan Approval; District of Columbia; Removal of Stage II Gasoline Vapor Recovery Program Requirements -EPA (Final rule)

National Boating Safety Advisory Committee; Vacancy; Correction -Coast Guard (Notice; request for applications; Correction)

National Chemical Transportation Safety Advisory Committee; Vacancies -Coast Guard (Notice; request for applications)

National Maritime Security Advisory Committee; May 2024 Virtual MeetingCoast Guard (Notice)

Sport Fishing and Boating Partnership Council; Public MeetingFish and Wildlife Service (Notice)


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Vineyard Northeast Project on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf Offshore Massachusetts; Corrections -Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (Notice)

Notice of Public Meeting of Scientific Earthquake Studies Advisory Committee -Geological Survey (Notice of teleconference meeting)

 

Environmental News Highlights – April 3, 2024

FEDERAL ACTION

Federal Judge in Texas Vacates FHWA’s GHG Rule -AASHTO Journal

EPA’s new heavy-duty vehicle emissions standards are effort to fight climate change -ABE News

EPA extends credits for automakers, further relaxing car rule -E&E News

NYC becomes first U.S. city to approve congestion toll with $15 charge to drive into part of Manhattan –AP

U.S. losing valuable wetlands at alarming rate -States Newsroom

USDOT Opens Applications for More than $5 Billion in Funding for Significant National Infrastructure Projects -USDOT (media release)

 

SOLAR ECLIPSE

States Prepare For Solar Eclipse Traffic Tie-Ups With Advanced Tech –Forbes

Arkansas Department of Transportation releases traffic forecast map for eclipse – KTAL-TV



Texas restricts oversize truck loads on the day of the eclipse –CHRON

VDOT: Make plans to rotate travel around solar eclipse -WTOP Radio

Solar Eclipse 2024 – Illinois Department of Transportation

Solar Eclipse Oversize Restrictions -Medallion Transport and Logistics

COVID-19

CTA to restore bus service on some routes cut during the pandemic -Chicago Sun-Times

INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY

Virginia DOT Allocates $11.3M for EV Chargers -AASHTO Journal



FHWA Administrator: EVs a Charged Topic With High-Level Support -Government Technology

Cars are king of the commute. But employers may have a once-in-a-generation chance to change that. -HR Dive

Cool paint coatings help pedestrians feel up to 1.5°C cooler in urban setting, field study finds -Phys.org

Greenlane announces LA to LV charging corridor for commercial trucks– Electrek

The benefits of bridge-tunnels -WAVY-TV

 

AIR QUALITY

Understanding the Federal Highway Administration’s Greenhouse Gas Rule -Environment and Energy Leader

Colorado air quality bills call for summer fracking pause, ‘repeat violator’ crackdown -Colorado Newsline

Air quality at many train stations is alarmingly bad. Here’s how to improve it -The Conversation

Carlsbad Caverns, White Sands rank among worst national parks for air quality -The Santa Fe New Mexican

FAA Invests $27 Million on Research to Reduce Emissions and Noise -FAA (media release)

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE/EQUITY

A Number Of States Adding Native American Translations To Road Signs Promoting Awareness -Milwaukee Independent

Transit called ‘lifeline’ for rural Pennsylvania residents -WVIA Radio

Disabled People Are Dying in America’s Crosswalks. We Need to Protect Them. -Governing (commentary)

NATURAL RESOURCES

NCDOT Prepping for Annual Litter Cleanup Effort -AASHTO Journal


These glowing orbs can tell you if water is clean or polluted -Fast Company

Floating wetlands bring beauty, benefits to South Carolina ponds -The Times and Democrat

Alaska’s New Robotic Dog Will Be Used To Haze Wildlife At Fairbanks Airport -Anchorage Daily News

New approach to monitoring freshwater quality can identify sources of pollution, predict their effects -University of Cambridge

PennDOT Invites Pennsylvanians to Share Feedback on Winter Services -Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (media release)

EPA announces $12M to protect salmon by reducing toxic tire dust, other pollutants in stormwater -EPA (media release)

CULTURAL RESOURCES

Florida legislature passes bill easing demolition, replacement of old buildings with bigger structures -Florida Politics

Georgia DOT and We Are Teachers Launch Free K-12 Car and Road Safety Program -Georgia Department of Transportation (media release)

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

TxDOT Launches Pedestrian & Bike Safety Campaign -KIAH-TV

Cyclist group launches crash-tracking survey after rise in DC traffic fatalities -GW Hatchet

How can more U.S. cities become more walkable? Here’s one urban planner’s approach -NPR’s TED Radio

Residents Taking It Upon Themselves To Update Maps Showing Raleigh’s Walkability -WRAL-TV

Deadly fires from phone, scooter batteries leave lawmakers playing catch-up on safety –Stateline

Pennsylvania Taking Steps to Combat Human Trafficking -Pennsylvania DOT (media release)

TRB RESOURCES/RESEARCH/ANNOUNCEMENTS

When Our Technology Solutions Do Not Work for Everyone -TRB (webinar)

Homes on Track: Building Thriving Communities Around Transit -Regional Plan Association (webinar)

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES

Petroleum-Equivalent Fuel Economy Calculation -Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (Final rule)

Proposed Consent Decree, Clean Air Act Citizen Suit -EPA (Notice; request for public comment)

National Boating Safety Advisory Committee; April 2024 Meetings -Coast Guard (Notice)

Lithium Battery Air Safety Advisory Committee; Notice of Public Meeting -Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (Notice)

Notice of Availability of a Joint Record of Decision for the Proposed Sunrise Wind Farm Offshore New York, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island -Bureau of Ocean Energy (Notice)

National Boating Safety Advisory Committee; Vacancies -Coast Guard (Notice; request for applications)

 

Environmental News Highlights – March 27, 2024

FEDERAL ACTION

New EPA Rules Tighten Vehicle Tailpipe Emission Levels -AASHTO Journal

FHWA Offering $44M in Active Transportation Grants -AASHTO Journal

 

What’s driving the surge in pedestrian deaths on roadways across the US -NBC News Now

EPA Didn’t Ban Gas Cars. It Cut Air Pollution So We Can Breathe Easier. -Forbes (Opinion)

SOLAR ECLIPSE

Preparing for the April 8, 2024 Solar Eclipse –FHWA

FAA warns of air travel disruptions in path of April 8 eclipse -The Hill

Find Your Path to the Total Solar Eclipse -511NY Rideshare/New York State Department of Transportation

Total guide to Texas eclipse travel -Texas Department of Transportation

Kentucky Transportation Cabinet making preparations ahead of April 8 solar eclipse -WPSD-TV

2024 Missouri Solar Eclipse -Missouri Department of Transportation

Agencies prepare for solar eclipse traffic flooding into southeast Oklahoma -Tulsa World

 

COVID-19

USDOT expects to deliver national aviation plan for communicable disease outbreaks by 2025 -Passenger Terminal Today

INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY

Electrifying Trucking: $1 Trillion Needed for Infrastructure -Transport Topics

Governor signs bills creating electric vehicle charging station network across Wisconsin –AP

Drones could soon be used to remove graffiti from Washington highways -KING-TV

Which Mountain West cities have the most climate-friendly transportation systems? -Mountain West News Bureau

Native American tribes ditches traditional transportation with multimillion-dollar EV initiative -The Cool Down

Shell to focus on EV charging, closing 1,000 retail locations -Yahoo Finance Live

 

AIR QUALITY

Louisiana lawmakers move to protect combustible engine vehicles from future restrictions -Shreveport Times

As electric vehicle sales slow, US relaxes plans for stricter auto emissions standards for a while –AP

Trees and bushes near highways improve air quality -Earth.com

More testing facilities and new website enhance service for emissions program customersWisconsin DOT (media release)

 

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE/EQUITY

Texas Air Quality Measurements Fail Hispanic Communities –Governing

Disabled riders need comprehensive public transportation planning –Prism

ODOT’s Mobility Management Program Provides Transportation To Oklahomans In Need -KWTV-TV

Blue Grass Airport Launches Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Program -Blue Grass Airport (media release)

 

NATURAL RESOURCES

DelDOT caring for more than just the roads -WDEL Radio

CULTURAL RESOURCES

F1 and IndyCar Street Races Can Be an Economic Boon – and a Big Headache –CityLab

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

District of Columbia DOT Program Offers Vouchers for E-Bike Purchases -AASHTO Journal

TxDOT highlights rising bicycle, pedestrian crashes -Marshall News Messenger

Las Vegas advocate appeals for reinstatement of jaywalking fines amid pedestrian deaths -KSNV-TV

Houston deemphasizing commitment to ‘Vision Zero’ traffic safety initiative under new mayor -Houston Public Media

TRB RESOURCES/RESEARCH/ANNOUNCEMENTS

Integration of Contingency Planning for Small Airports –ACRP

Former TRB Executive Director Neil Pedersen Has a Question: Are we willing to stick our necks out? -Thinking Transportation podcast

A national survey on the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on school travel in the US. – Parents perspective -Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives

 

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES

Safety Zone; Storms With High Winds; Sector Maryland-National Capital Region Captain of the Port Zone -Coast Guard (Final rule)

Notice of Adoption of Department of Energy Categorical Exclusion Under the National Environmental Policy Act -EPA (Notice of adoption of categorical exclusion)

Environmental News Highlights – March 20, 2024

FEDERAL ACTION

National Zero-Emission Freight Corridor Plan Unveiled -AASHTO Journal



45 states, large metro areas submit climate action plans under Inflation Reduction Act -EPA (media release)

SOLAR ECLIPSE

Solar Eclipse Preparations -The Stream by AASHTO

Ohio governor signs executive order ahead of total solar eclipse -WLWT-TV



Wyoming Officials Share Lessons Learned From 2017 Eclipse Ahead Of Texas April Eclipse -WFAA-TV

INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY

New Jersey’s transit stations can help spur more affordable housing -WNET-TV’s NJ Spotlight News (video)

San Diego gets first electric tug boat in US -KUSI/KSWB-TV

Coastal US Cities Top Ranking of Climate-Friendly Transportation –CityLab

National League of Cities Launches New Mapping Resource to Support Transit Planning in Municipalities -National League of Cities (media release)

 

AIR QUALITY

Maryland DOT announces $55 million in federal funding to reduce transportation emissions -WBFF-TV


The Remarkable Potential of Sustainable Aviation Fuel for Carbon Emission Reduction -Greek Reporter



The Role of Hydrogen Fuel Cell Buses in a Zero Emission Future -American Public Transportation Association (webinar)

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE/EQUITY

Caltrans Unveils New Transportation Equity Index Tool -AASHTO Journal

Aging advocates aim to expand public transit across New Hampshire -New Hampshire Bulletin

U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland on Environmental Justice and Confronting the Climate Crisis -University of Michigan (livestream)

NATURAL RESOURCES

Wetland and Beaver Dam Water Quality Workshop to be held in Oskaloosa, OK -Oskaloosa Herald

CULTURAL RESOURCES

Washington State DOT’s Paint Maps: The Origin Story -WSDOT Blog

Drive with Aloha’ murals educate about drunk driving -Spectrum News

Husband, wife buried on runway at US airport greet thousands of planes every year -Fox Weather

How green is your next vacation? Here’s how to tell –USA Today (opinion)

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

Hawaii DOT Launches Statewide Aviation Noise Study -Island News

To Incentivize E-Bikes, First Map Your Destination -Government Technology

New York City Just Had Its Safest-Ever Year For Pedestrians. What Went Right? –CityLab

$50 Million to Enhance Active Transportation Across British Columbia –Momentum


DC transit officials will give city residents money toward a new electric bike -Washington Times

Coon Rapids, MN awarded state grant for active transportation plan -ABC Newspapers

TRB RESOURCES/RESEARCH/ANNOUNCEMENTS

Advanced Air Mobility and Community Outreach: A Primer for Successful Stakeholder Engagement –ACRP

Advancing Gender Equity in the DOT Workforce –NCHRP


Respectful Response to People Experiencing Homelessness in Transit -TRB (webinar)

Artificial Intelligence Lets Bicycles ‘See’ -Informationsdienst Wissenschaft

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES

Ensuring Safe Accommodations for Air Travelers With Disabilities Using Wheelchairs -Office of the Secretary, Department of Transportation (Notice of Proposed Rulemaking)



Notice of Rail Energy Transportation Advisory Committee Meeting -Surface Transportation Board (Notice)



Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Atlantic Shores North Project on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf Offshore New Jersey -Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (Notice)

Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for Commercial Wind Lease Issuance, Site Characterization Activities, and Site Assessment Activities on the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf in the Gulf of Maine Offshore the States of Maine, … -Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (Notice)

Environmental News Highlights – March 13, 2024

FEDERAL ACTION

USDOT issues $3.33 billion to 132 projects through its Reconnecting Communities Pilot and Neighborhood Access and Equity discretionary grant programsUSDOT (media release)

AASHTO Participates in USDOT’s Air Mobility Meeting -AASHTO Journal


The Power Of Community Engagement In Transportation -ITE Talks Transportation (podcast)

FHWA Announces Request for Information on Updating Federal Standards for EV Charging -FHWA (media release)

NEPA

NEPA Reform Long Overdue Say Western Tribes, Ranchers, And Local Governments -Western Wire

INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY

Oregon court rejects cities’ request to toss climate rules -Oregon Public Broadcasting

Ensuring Climate-Smart Transportation Planning -National Caucus of Environmental Legislators (blog)

Governor discusses progress in Rhode Island’s EV charging infrastructure effort -WJAR-TV

USDA invests nearly $66M to improve roads, trails, and water quality as part of Investing in America Agenda -Forest Service (media release)

 

AIR QUALITY

Air quality in AZ is already bad, but Republicans want to end most vehicle emissions testing -AZ Mirror

House Bill Would Reset Connecticut’s Emission-Reduction Goals, Incentivize Businesses to Adopt Environmentally Sustainable Practices –CTNewsJunkie

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE/EQUITY

Caltrans Launches Equity Tool to Help All Communities Benefit from Transportation Projects –Caltrans (media release)

NATURAL RESOURCES

Georgia DOT Forges Historic Bat Conservation Agreement -AASHTO Journal

Snowy days often lead to salty streams. Ohio’s trying to fix that -WYSO Radio

FAQs: Air Quality in National Parks -National Parks Conservation Association

CULTURAL RESOURCES

Red Covered Bridge: Illinois DOT Fixing an Antique –Illinois DOT (blog)

Ambassadors for active transportation, honoring women in flightKUAF Radio


Arkansas governor, agency heads lay out plans for April 8 solar eclipse -KARK-TV

A Vote for Safer Streets from the Heart of Car Culture –Governing

Sioux Falls, South Dakota opens trail system to more motorized bicycles -Dakota Scout

 

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

Pittsburgh wants to make streets safer with Vision Zero -KDKA-TV

Hawaii’s e-bike dilemma: Safety, laws, confusion -KHON-TV

Silencing the Roar: Noise Pollution in Aviation –Airways

Los Angeles voters approve ‘Safe Streets’ Measure HLA -KTLA-TV

A new approach to transportation: Pairing off-street parking with electric scooters -Argonne National Laboratory

Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments seeking public’s input in 2050 “Active Transportation Plan” survey -KRDO-TV



WisDOT joins nationwide effort to prevent traffic deaths -Wisconsin DOT (media release)

TRB RESOURCES/RESEARCH/ANNOUNCEMENTS

Lessons of Agency Resilience During Periods of Disruption -TRB (webinar)

Concrete Pavement Preservation -TRB (webinar)

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES

Request for Information on the J3400 Connector and Potential Options for Performance-Based Charging Standards -FHWA (Notice)

Advisory Committee on Transportation Equity (ACTE); Notice of Public Meeting -Office of the Secretary, Department of Transportation (Notice of public meeting)

Advisory Committee on Transportation Equity (ACTE); Notice of Public Meeting -Office of the Secretary, Department of Transportation (Notice of public meeting)



Advisory Committee on Transportation Equity (ACTE); Notice of Public Meeting -Office of the Secretary, Department of Transportation (Notice of public meeting)

Electric Vehicle Working Group -Department of Energy (Notice of open meeting)

Request for Information; Extension of Comment Period (Vessel Response Plans) -Coast Guard (Notice)

National Navigation Safety Advisory Committee Meeting; April 2024 Meeting -Coast Guard (Notice)

Notice of Final Federal Agency Action on the Authorization for the Revolution Wind Farm and Revolution Wind Export Cable Project Offshore Rhode Island -Army Corps of Engineers (Notice of limitation on claims for judicial review of actions by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers)



Deepwater Horizon Natural Resource Damage Assessment Florida Trustee Implementation Group Draft Restoration Plan 3 and Environmental Assessment: Water Quality -EPA (Notice of availability; request for public comments)

Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; Clean Watersheds Needs Survey (CWNS) (Renewal) -EPA (Notice)